One of the major characteristics of contemporary daily life is our dependence on electronic gadgets which we rely upon on for a multitude of routine and mundane tasks. From cleaning to cooking, entertainment to communication, electronic tools are here to stay and are an essential part of any average person’s way of life.

Our trusty friends and companions, the downfall with many of these items is that they are at the risk of malfunction and breakdown and this can range from being merely uncomfortable, to downright costly (in particular, in the specific area of a business.)

Given that all machines and electronic tools are nothing more than a collection of different parts which work jointly to achieve a common objective, the failure of even a single component (in spite of how trivial the fault, or how petty the role actually done) is enough to be the end for the machine in question. All electronic gadgets require fuel in the guise of power and this will be derived either from the main power supply or from a battery supply.

The major weakness of any electronic device is that it is only ever as useful and productive as long as it is provided with power, and this should not be so much of a question. To add further insult to injury, the current generation of electronic batteries are not actually rechargeable (whether this is due to a basic design flaw or a cynical tendency to force consumers to buy them more frequently is uncertain).

The very cornerstone of capitalism is progress and novelty, i.e. the continual striving for the excellence of current technology in a bid to maximize efficiency. The latest growth in the energy market has been the growth of solar battery chargers. The extraordinary aspect of these chargers is that they go a significant way in eliminating the various flaws and drawbacks most usually associated with ordinary forms of electronic batteries.

Many customers are a little uncertain as to the exact manner in which the solar battery chargers work, and as a result, refuse to understand the awesome potential that they possess. The manner in which they work is the same as a factory: they absorb the energy provided by the sun, and then store the energy in order for it to be transformed into electrical power. This implies that the owner of the solar charger will possess an enduring power supply that will only cost them the initial sum – and nothing more.

Find out more about Solar Power and how Solar Chargers can liberate you from worrying about charging your mobile devices whilst away from a power outlet. Solar Chargers – no more interrupted conversations in the middle of a phone call and environmentally friendly too.

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Tankless water heaters are amazing, and when you first look at that sleek little unit that attaches to your wall, it takes some getting used to before you believe it will efficiently provide the hot water needs of the home. But once you have decided to install one, (or more), there is a neat little way to calculate mathematically if the tankless heater(s) you are planning to choose will meet the needs of your households hot water demand.

Domestic hot water is generally perceived as being hot enough when it reaches a temperature of 115 degrees. That’s the goal you need to reach, and the starting point is the temperature of your home’s incoming tap water. The difference is the rise in water temperature the tankless heater must effect as the water is flowing through it’s system.

Every manufacturer has specifications detailing how much of a rise in temperature each of his models will produce. The figure is based on gps, (gallons per second of water flow). As the water demand increases, and the gps increase, the units will be forced to raise the temperature of more water per unit of time and the rise in temperature will consequently drop.

Now let us consider a specific situation. Let us assume your incoming tap water is normally 55 degrees, and you want to raise it to 115 degrees, a difference of 60 degrees. Let’s also assume your shower hot water flows at 2gps. You find a tankless heater that will create a 60 degree rise in temperature at 2gps. But now, however, you know that your son takes a shower the same time you do in the morning, for example, and your maid is also running the sink downstairs, while cooking breakfast for the family. So now, you have to add the gps of all these activities together, and find a unit that will raise the temperature 60 degrees at that flow rate.

The other alternative, is to use more than one tankless water heater. In the above example, you might purchase two heaters, one for each bathroom, and a third heater for the rest of the house. In every case, you calculate the expected simultaneous gps, the incoming water main temperature, and the needed rise in temperature. And, you determine, based on the manufacturers specifications, which tankless water heater will do the job for you.

Contact your plumber, and he will help you to determine normal gps requirements for various installations, and he will help you to determine the best unit or units for your home. Thanks to A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore, Baltimore plumbing for sponsoring this report.

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With the recent rise in energy costs many people have been looking to alternative sources of energy. One of the greatest energy sources (our sun) is readily available for the taking. We just need to be able to harness it’s power. For those interested, below is a brief history of how solar power came to be.

The history of photovoltaic energy (aka. solar cells) started in 1876. William Grylls Adams along with a student of his, Richard Day, discovered that when selenium was exposed to light, it produced electricity. An electricity expert, Werner von Siemens, stated that the discovery was “scientifically of the most far-reaching importance”. The selenium cells were not efficient, but it was proved that light, without heat or moving parts, could be converted into electricity.

In 1953, Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, and Daryl Chapin, discovered the silicon solar cell. This cell actually produced enough electricity and was efficient enough to run small electrical devices. The New York Times stated that this discovery was “the beginning of a new era, leading eventually to the realization of harnessing the almost limitless energy of the sun for the uses of civilization.”

The year is 1956, and the first solar cells are available commercially. The cost however is far from the reach of everyday people. At $300 for a 1 watt solar cell, the expense was far beyond anyone’s means. 1956 started showing us the first solar cells used in toys and radios. These novelty items were the first item to have solar cells available to consumers.

In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s satellites in the USA’s and Soviet’s space program were powered by solar cells and in the late 1960’s solar power was basically the standard for powering space bound satellites.

In the early 1970’s a way to lower the cost of solar cells was discovered. This brought the price down from $100 per watt to around $20 per watt. This research was spearheaded by Exxon. Most off-shore oil rigs used the solar cells to power the waning lights on the top of the rigs.

The period from the 1970’s to the 1990’s saw quite a change in the usage of solar cells. They began showing up on railroad crossings, in remote places to power homes, Australia used solar cells in their microwave towers to expand their telecommunication capabilities. Even desert regions saw solar power bring water to the soil where line fed power was not an option!

Today we see solar cells in a wide variety of places. You may see solar powered cars. There is even a solar powered aircraft that has flown higher than any other aircraft with the exception of the Blackbird. With the cost of solar cells well within everyone’s budget, solar power has never looked so tempting.

Recently new technology has given us screen printed solar cells, and a solar fabric that can be used to side a house, even solar shingles that install on our roofs. International markets have opened up and solar panel manufacturers are now playing a key role in the solar power industry.

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As the cost of conventional sources of energy continues to rise solar power is now more than ever a clean and viable source of energy for the home and for business. Billions of dollars have been spent in the United States over the past couple of decades in promoting and developing this technology. In this article we look at some of the benefits of solar energy.

It is estimated that the cost of the equipment to power a home with solar energy is 90 per cent cheaper than it was in the 1970s. And with energy bills rising rapidly it is now an increasingly attractive source of electricity.

In most cases, using solar energy to provide electricity for a home involves installing special solar photovoltaic cells on the roof of your home. It is true that the initial investment is quite expensive but this money should be recouped in savings on electricity bills over time and significant savings can be made in the long-term.

In sunnier areas solar power can meet and even exceed an average home’s electricity needs at certain times of the day. Excess electricity can be stored in batteries or in certain areas it can even be sold back to electricity supply companies.

Here are some of the main benefits of solar energy:

* It’s cheap – Once you make the initial investment to have solar technology installed in your home it is a free source of energy. Once it has paid for itself you can make significant savings on your energy bills. You may even qualify for government incentives to help cover the cost. It will add significantly to the value of your home. Green homes are becoming ever more popular in today’s environmentally aware climate so this investment will increase your home’s value and make it easier to sell if you ever move on.

* It’s clean – Solar is one of the cleanest and environmentally friendly sources of energy out there. If you want to do your bit to combat climate change solar energy is the way to go.

* It’s easy – Solar energy systems require very little maintenance. Once the system is installed you will have a constant source of energy and you won’t have to worry about adding extra fuel, paying bills and the other chores associated with conventional sources of energy.

* It’s consistent – If you use solar energy you do not have to worry about power failures. Even if your traditional source of electricity fails you will still have a back-up. In addition, if you live in a remote area that does not have easy access to centralized sources of electricity solar is an excellent alternative.

* It’s neat – Even if you live in a heavily populated area installing solar panels should be no problem. Since they slot easily onto the roof of your home there is no need for them to take up precious garden space. Also, while the panels themselves are costly, they are very easy and quick to install.

* It’s wire free – There are a number of stand alone solar-powered appliances available today that eliminate the need for wiring. For example, you can install solar powered garden lights that you simply place in your garden that run off the sun’s energy. These even have light sensors so they switch off and on automatically depending on the light.

The use of photovoltaic cells in the home can be quite expensive. However, it is not the only way to make use of the sun’s energy. In colder regions homes are increasingly being designed to make the best use of the sun’s energy to provide warmth. This involves a sensible design of houses by using methods such as having large glass windows on the south side of the home which will help warm the home during the winter. The home will need to be protected from too much sun in the summer so trees can be used for this.

Another option is to use the sun to provide hot water for the home. This method simply involves using thin water pipes, painted black, and running them through a ‘greenhouse like’ box that is exposed to the sun on the outside of the home. In warmer areas this can provide hot running water throughout the home for free.

Solar energy isn’t for everybody. Where you live will determine whether or not it is the right choice for you. If solar panels are not viable for you, or you are unsure if you are ready to take the plunge, you should still consider buying solar appliances when possible. There are any number of solar appliances available today including video cameras, watches, radios, fountains and much more. These all eliminate the need for batteries and/or wiring.

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Use of solar energy is becoming more and more popular every day. The price of electricity is rising and the best alternative that we have today is using solar energy. We all know that global warming is on the rise today. The main reason for this being burning of fossil fuels like coal, which in turn is being used to produce electricity, so if we want our future to be safe, this is the time to step forward and start using solar technology.

NEED FOR ELECTRICAL POWER

Arguments that have constantly supported that electricity is of utmost importance and needs to remain are:

1) Need for light and power after it becomes dark
2) Need for appliances to work so that the food we eat remains edible.

We would be greatly interrupted in our daily routine if we did not have power or electricity for a large portion of the day. Not being able to use electricity for either work or entertainment would be a great damper on life as we know it.

VARIETY OF SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTS

The main reason that people don’t use solar energy is because they are not aware of all it has to offer. In fact, you can install solar energy systems that range from small portable systems for your vacation home to large permanent solar energy systems that are built right into your home as either a standalone system or a grid system. It is this wide-ranging versatility coupled with the fact that it is a renewable power source that makes it such a great thing.

You can start out small with individual systems such as solar water heaters, solar showers, solar lighting, and solar fans. There are also solar radios, cookers, and purification systems. Solar energy is far more useful as it can be used to recharge your batteries and you can also power up every single appliance in your house with the help of the right solar system. It is just a matter of determining where you want to utilize it.

Solar energy can be used in your garden or home. By using it in multiple places around the household you can cut your power bills significantly. There are a multitude of uses for solar energy around the household. It can be used to recharge your batteries, phone and other small appliances. Once you discover solar energy for the home, you will realize that you can power up virtually any electrical appliance or machine with the right solar energy system and supplies.

CONCLUSION

After reading the above article you can quickly start to see where and how utilizing solar energy would benefit you, your pocketbook, and your children. Just remember that todays saving could lead to a bright and healthy future. So invest in solar system kits and you can enjoy every aspect of electricity with the help of solar energy. You will save your money and you will protect the environment. You can enjoy solar energy for the house by working it in your life gradually.

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The Future of Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Energy

1. The Problem
2. The Solution
3. The Results
4. The Benefits
5. An Investment in the Future

1. The Problem:

Traditional sources of electrical power generation are running out as production will peak in the next decade but demand will continue to rise. Energy prices will continue to rise at a higher rate as well as the number of outages during peak hours. There is the obvious problem of the pollution we are causing to our environment.

From my perspective, the world’s energy needs vary greatly; there is no clear single solution to the problem of supplying the world’s energy.

All forms of energy production have issues associated with them, i. e. -

1. Coal – Pollution/Strip Mining
2. Natural Gas – Cost and Lack of Infrastructure
3. Hydro – Limited Availability/Environmental Concerns
4. Wind – Limited Site and Resource Availability
5. Solar PV – Higher Cost
6. Nuclear – Waste disposal

2. The Solution:

Solar PV (Photovoltaic) systems effectively deliver three to five hours of peak power per day at roughly 10 Watts per square foot. Not one square inch of new land would be required to site PV. Theoretically, there are adequate residential, commercial, Government rooftops, and parking structures in California to power a substantial percentage of our State’s electrical needs from solar.

In Southern California, solar produces a net energy gain in approximately three years. This means that within three years, PV systems begin producing more energy than the energy spent in producing the system and its raw materials. Best of all, the energy produced cost zero emissions.

At today’s prices, a typical solar system costs approximately $8.00/watt, installed and has an operating life in excess of 25 years. For all intents and purposes, maintenance and operating costs are minimal. Now there are systems available for rent. Companies such as Citizenre at www.jointhesolution.com/rethink-solar allow you to create solar power of a unit that is installed, maintained and monitored by them. You merely pay the monthly rental fee for you clean electricity which is the same price as you pay the electric company for you electricity. Also they allow you to lock in a rate now for up to 25 years so you are paying the same price throughout the entire contract.

3. The Results:

Solar energy increases the diversity of power and adds stability to a fossil fuel favored energy structure, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

4. The Benefits:

– Solar can be quickly deployed at the point of use, reducing the need for additional transmission and distribution infrastructure, and cost thereof.

– Solar operates most efficiently at mid day, when grid demand is at its peak. By decreasing the strain during peak hours, the longevity of existing power plants and infrastructure is extended, lowering further the cost of energy production.

– By deploying solar over time the cumulative effect of the installed base is impressive. Given its 25-year life, within 10 to 20 years, a respectable portion of California’s energy could be supplied by solar.

– Once installed, the cost is fixed. In comparison to traditional sources of energy, the fuel cost is nonexistent, and operational costs are limited. A solar system’s cost is amortized over its life, there are no rate hikes due to fuel or operating cost increases.

5. An Investment in the Future:

There are some negatives. Presently, solar costs more than traditional energy generation. Its efficient use is limited to daylight hours unless storage is employed. Admittedly, the solar industry today is not large enough to address all of our needs. The solar industry does not have the financial influence to compete with existing utilities, which typically oppose PV, within political circles. (Industry revenues globally represent only 3.0B/year). Globally, the industry has experienced an annual growth rate in excess of 18% in over a decade. This rate of growth is equivalent to that of semiconductor, telecommunications, and computer industries.

Clearly, there is no easy solution to California’s energy problem. No doubt, a variety of technologies and tools are needed to ensure California’s energy independence and security.

The Solar Industry Needs Your Support

For those interested in promoting a clean, safe. and environmentally friendly source of energy, I urge you to write your representatives in the State and Federal Government. Make it clear you vote for representatives who support current legislation aimed at advancing the deployment of solar energy, such as the net metering law which allows the solar producer to feed surplus power onto the grid, causing the meter to spin backward, lowering the electric bill. Tax credits and deployment subsidies provide the revenues necessary to support research and development of more efficient solar systems.

Remember, in the 1970’s the State of California enacted emission standards that surpassed the rest of the nation. The argument against these standards was the cost of such improvements. Almost 30 years later, the impact is in the air and reflected in the increased fuel economy of the vehicles we drive.

Solar energy is part of the solution and is a key to America’s long-term energy supply. After all, fossil fuels have a long history of issues with respect to stability of supply and cost.

The Outlook of Solar Power is Bright!

1. Solar will sustain its torrid growth, as costs continue to fall. The solar market has grown at ~40% per annum in recent years, and there are many reasons to think that it will sustain, if not exceed, that clip in 2008. Solar panel prices have followed a predictable experience curve since the 1970’s, with prices dropping by 20% with each doubling of manufacturing capacity. As the silicon-dominated industry moves to thinner and higher-efficiency wafers, increases manufacturing scale, improves wafer and cell processing technologies, sees polysilicon prices return to rational levels, and migrates production to lower-cost countries –- costs will continue to drive towards parity with grid rates, and solar will become increasingly more attractive. Companies have developed creative PPA (power-purchase agreement) financing models to reduce or eliminate upfront installation costs, which will make solar more accessible for a wider range of corporate and residential customers. The election year should also see more state subsidy support for solar and a renewal of the federal tax credit, which will further bolster growth.

2. Emerging startups that benefit from the polysilicon supply shortage will face increased pressure, as the poly-Si crunch begins to ease. Solar veterans can debate the timing endlessly, but many expect additional poly-Si supply to come online by late 2008. Startups that tout silicon-independent solar solutions, like concentrators and thin film (CIGS, a-Si, CdTe, etc.), will face pressure to come to market more quickly, as their cost/supply advantages erode with greater availability of poly-Si and a retreat from spot-pricing. E.g., none of the CIGS thin-film startups, which have collectively received hundreds of millions in investment in recent years, managed to reach mass commercialization this past year as many had projected. They will continue to be under pressure to reach market before the window of opportunity closes.

3. Entrepreneurs will increasingly look beyond cell and module production. As the technology-heavy areas of cell and module production get crowded, more and more entrepreneurs look to startup opportunities in the downstream balance-of-systems part of the value chain. This area has seen less attention to date, yet makes up ~50% of the total installed cost. Novel packaging techniques, distributed inverter / MPP tracking / power management technologies, systems monitoring solutions, streamlining of the installation process, and creative solar financing models — entrepreneurs increasingly recognize the ripe opportunity in this part of the solar business, and 2008 should see heightened startup activity in this area.

4. China and India will begin to emerge as strong domestic markets for solar. With a 500 MW coal-fired plant going up in China every week, the growth of greenhouse gas emissions has reached dizzying levels. China already “boasts” 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, with hundreds of thousands a year dying prematurely from such pollution. Many experts expect that the government will spend tens of billions of dollars in the next 5-10 years –- a significant portion going to solar -– to reach the mandate of 15% from renewables by 2020. In India, where the energy shortfall has reached 15% and domestic coal reserves will run out in ~50 years, the government is actively pursuing incentive policies and feed-in tariffs to help drive the use of solar and other renewables. 2008 should see further policy refinement in both countries, which will spur increased domestic adoption of solar.

Few people doubt solar energy’s potential, but many wonder when it will be reached. “In the long term, solar may well play an important role,” Karg says. “I personally expect a contribution of 10 to 20% of the global electricity production, mainly in the form of grid-connected systems.” However, he does not foresee that happening within the next 20 years.

Nevada Solar One

The sun sits high over the Nevada desert in the Eldorado Valley, gleaming off the upside down rows of mirrored parabolic trough collectors at the Nevada Solar One power plant.

At 64 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity, Nevada Solar One is the largest CSP plant to be built in 15 years. While the plant won’t come online until April, its construction marks the revival of an industry that has seen almost no market growth in over a decade.

The plant was developed by Acciona Energy and Solargenix Energy — two companies that have worked hard behind the scenes to get the CSP industry up and running again.

The plant uses parabolic trough collectors to generate electricity. The mirrored troughs face the sky and direct sunlight to a large metal and glass receiver in the middle of the trough that holds circulating oil. The oil travels to heat exchangers, which heat water and create steam to run a turbine. Parabolic troughs are one of three commercialized CSP technologies.

Further down the row of parabolic troughs, Plant Manager Bob Cable admires the impressive devices before him.

“I’ve been working with this technology for the last decade,” Cable says. “I’ve seen some impressive gains in technological advancement, and now we’re seeing more broad acceptance of the technology as the market becomes more attractive.”

Indeed, after roughly a decade of little growth for the industry, CSP is coming back strong. And it’s not just parabolic trough collectors that are experiencing a boom. Power towers, which use heliostats to focus solar energy on a central receiver to produce steam, and dish systems, which use reflectors to power a generator at the dish’s focus point, are making great strides in technological capabilities, lower costs, and market acceptance.

But according to Thomas Rueckert, Program Manager for CSP Management at the U.S. Department of Energy, parabolic troughs are the most advanced.

“Because of the track record [the parabolic trough industry] had in southern California with the 354 megawatts (MW) operating — and actually improving in performance — I think you’re seeing the financial institutions more willing to embrace trough technology because it’s proven and the risks are less,” said Rueckert.

Rueckert was referring to the 354 MW of parabolic trough collectors installed in California’s Mojave Desert between 1984 and 1990. Those plants are still operating today, currently producing energy at around $0.12-$0.14/ per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and proving the technology can provide clean, reliable energy to the grid.

The Nevada Solar One plant will produce electricity at around $0.15-$0.17/kWh. While those costs are double what area residents pay for electricity, Nevada Solar One will sell energy to two utilities through a power purchase agreement (PPA). The PPA will ensure a fixed cost for the electricity over a long period, making the solar power economical down the line.

Now that global investment in CSP is increasing, technology costs are decreasing and renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in the U.S. are requiring more solar generation, project costs for all CSP technologies should come down significantly in the coming years, said DOE’s Rueckert.

“All of those things have really opened the door,” he said. “And it’s interesting that all three technologies are pushing forward, which was kind of unexpected.”

Back at Nevada Solar One, Acciona Solar’s Cohen stands before the group of reporters and members of the solar industry who have come to witness the rebirth of CSP.

“The potential is huge. It was difficult to get the attention of the financial institutions in the U.S., but right now we have their attention. We get a lot of people asking us, ‘how can we develop this technology?’”

Dr. Alex Marker, Research Fellow for Schott North America, Inc., stands to the side of Cohen, nodding his head. Schott is certainly feeling the positive impact of increased CSP development. To meet the demand for its glass receivers, the company brought a new receiver manufacturing facility online in Germany last summer and is developing another facility in Spain that will come online in early 2008.

“I think [the market] is going to grow drastically,” says Marker, looking over at the receivers in the troughs. “We’re happy to be a part of this new development.”

Now that financial institutions are noticing CSP, companies like Acciona and Solargenix will be able to tap into the vast resource potential in the Southwestern U.S.

According to figures from DOE’s Solar Lab, 20,000 MW of CSP capacity could come online in the U.S. by 2020 with the proper investment and technological capabilities. Rueckert seemed optimistic that a large amount of those resources will be tapped.

“When this plant comes online next month, it’s going to be a great success,” he said. “The market is exploding and things are really taking off.”

Indeed, a solar panel for your home, whether brand new, second hand or rented, is definitely a wise choice as it helps you in minimizing your electric bills, helps the worlds growing energy needs and is especially an environmentally healthy and helpful choice.

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One portable solar electricity generator we looked at comes in three different models. The first version is 12 amp AC with an inverter of 150 watts. The other two versions, both DC are either 12 or 30 amps. All these portable solar electricity power generators come with 20-foot long 12/2 cable and DC plugs for input. What are not included are batteries or modules.

These portable solar generators come factory tested and fully assembled. They are easy to use plug and go systems. The AC model has an inverter switch on the outside; they all come with PV module type accessories for mounting. Other features of these solar generators are 120 VAC sockets equipped with outdoor covers for the AC models. These same models also have 150-watt internal inverters.

You’ll always know the condition of your charge with these portable solar generators, thanks to their battery meters. Protective safety and durability features include separate fusion of all sockets, enclosures that are nonbreakable, rugged, and resistant to weather and corrosion. The solar panels of these portable generators make them DC chargeable as well as friendly to the environment. Each of these generators come with 2 DC sockets that can accommodate loads as high as 90 watts each.

Home portable power generators can be recharged from a solar module or an AC battery charger, an optional accessory. Each unit is fully integrated and generates AC or DC electricity quietly. It is ideal for running lights, fans, laptops, and small televisions or power tools.

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Many a person, myself included, has gone on and on about the benefits of solar energy. While theoretical arguments are always interesting, what about daily applications?

Uses for Solar In Every Day Life

Solar energy is an important advance in the effort to save the environment. Perhaps the most easily usable and most convenient of the renewable energy sources (which also include wind and water), solar energy has been used since the beginning of time as a heating source. In the 1830’s one of the other solar energy platforms was developed, as a solar energy cooker was used on a safari. Since then, many other solar energy applications have been formulated, and almost everyone can take advantage of one of these.

One of the most common of the solar energy applications is to use it as a power source. Since the 1970’s, many people have been putting solar collectors on their roofs and using the resulting collected power to run their households. While having enough solar collectors to obtain power that will run an entire house may not be common, it is becoming more so. Most of these types of solar powered homes run their appliances and other needs directly off the solar collectors’ power during the day, and use power that was stored from the solar cells in batteries at night. In this way, the homeowner can avoid ever having to use power that was generated by a non-renewable resource.

Another of the common solar energy applications is to use solar power to heat your hot water. These systems can either use passive solar energy (in the case of heating a tank of water by leaving it out in the sun) or by using solar collectors with a heat transfer fluid. These systems require the homeowner to install solar panels, behind which run tubes filled with fluid. These tubes collect the heat from the sun and transfer it into the fluid – these tubes, filled with the heated fluid, then run around a water storage system, and the heat from the fluid is transferred into the water. Another way is to have water running through the tubing and have it obtain the sun’s heat directly – this heated water is then pumped into swimming pools, so that pool owners don’t need to run a pool heater to keep their water warm.

In the last 10 to 15 years, solar manufacturers have started to develop new, creative applications for solar power. One development is the portable solar panel, a popular product used on RVs by vacationers. On a smaller scale, there are solar panel packs that fold out like a small ledger and are used to power up anything from laptops to cell phones. As time passes, new products along this line are expected to continue to come on the market.

It doesn’t matter which of the solar energy applications you choose to implement in your own home or life – even a small change to solar power over traditional power sources can help the environment. The more we can use solar energy, the less dependent we become on non-renewable resources, and the more we help the Earth.

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We would all like cheaper electricity and gas bills. Most of us shop around for the provider with the lowest electricity, gas, or oil prices and leave it at that, but there are other ways to warm your house. Not only could you save money in the long term by reducing your household fuel bills, but you can also do so in a more environmentally friendly way and, in today’s world of global warming which produces extreme weather conditions, that is a major factor for many people.

Solar heating can reduce your electricity bills no matter where you live. Obviously, where you live will determine how much sunshine you will get in an average day, but even on a cloudy day with the sun low on the horizon you can still benefit. If you live in a warm climate and don’t need heating for much of the year, you still may wish to heat the swimming pool.

What Equipment Do I Need?

A typical system uses collectors, also called heating panels. These are generally mounted on a south facing roof which should ideally be pitched at an angel of between 30 and 60 degrees. If your roof isn’t pitched, the panels can be mounted at an angel. The size of the panels will depend on the size of the household and your local climate. As a general rule, you’ll need 2.75 sq.m. to heat water for two people, or 4.12 sq.m. for a family of three or four people.

There are two types of panels and the right one for you will depend on your local climate.

• Flat Plate Collectors – a simple flat plate of specially coated black metal covered by glass or plastic. Water passes through pipes that are soldered to the plate and the warmed water is then fed to your boiler.
• Evacuated tubes – which are fitted into insulated steel casings. These are more suited to cooler, cloudier climates. By reducing the heat loss, the water temperature can reach 60F/15C so it may not require further heating. Evacuated tubes are more expensive than flat plate collectors.

Can I Install A System Myself?

It is possible to install a system yourself if you are reaonably good at DIY. Either find a parts supplier who will also do the design for you, or join a solar club – non-profit making groups who run one-day courses designed to make solar heating cheaper and easier to install.

How Much Money Will I Save?

Impossible to quantify as it will depend on your local climate, house insulation, heating system, and the type of panels you install. But if you want lower electricity and heating bills, and wish to help the environment by burning less fossil fuel, solar heating is well worth investigating.

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